Ring projector



Feb. 1, 1966 RASNER 3,232,285

RING PROJECTOR Filed Aug. 13. 1962 INVENTOR.

Eggwd Ems/2e:

United States Patent M 3,232,285 RING PROJECTOR Reggie A. Rasher, 2106W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60622 Filed Aug. 13, 1962, Ser. No.216,438 6 Claims. (Cl. 124-21) This invention relates to games or toysand is more particularly concerned with apparatus for pro ecting aring-like member in the direction of a game board or other target.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a projector or gunfor shooting a projectile which is in the form of a ring member towardan object which constitutes a target.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a gun which maybe grasped in the hand and pointed for shooting a ring-like game pieceso as to direct the game piece, when released, toward a target which maybe 1n the form of a ring supporting hook or peg located at a predetermined distance from the operator of the gun.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a ringprojecting gun which is formed of relatively resilient bent wire havinga bent handle forming section and a straight barrel forming section witha telescoping tubular member secured at the free end of the barrelformmg section which has a stretchable rubber-like section enabling theother end thereof to be drawn towards the handle section and a supportfor a ring-like game piece or projectile adjacent the latter end, thetelescoping member having a cross slot for receiving a portion of thehandle section so as to cock the gun, and the telescoping member beingreleasable upon squeezing the handle so as to project the ring towards atarget or other area towards which the gun is pointed by the user.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom a consideration of the apparatus which is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a ring pro ecting device whichembodies the invention and a game board illustrating one manner in whichthe apparatus may be used in playing a game;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation, to a larger scale, of the ring projectingdevice;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device with portions broken away andwith the device in discharged condition;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 with the device in loadedcondition;

FIGURE 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 to anenlarged scale; and

FIGURE 6 is a view of a ring which is adapted to be used with thedevice.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, the projector device or gun 10 isadapted to project or shoot an object or projectile which is in the formof a ring 11. One type of game with which the gun 10 is adapted to beemployed involves a board 12 having mounted thereon a plurality of ringsupporting hooks 13 arranged in a desired pattern with each of the hookshaving a small disc at the base thereof, preferably of a color whichcontrasts with the color of the board, so as to form a more visibletarget. The gun or projector device 10 is employed in projecting anumber of the rings 11 in the direction of the board 12 with the objectof arranging the rings 11 on the hooks 13 in a particular pattern. Thedevice 18 is, of course, not limited to this particular use but may beemployed in projecting any number of rings 11 towards any other objector target so that it is adapted to be used in con- 3,232,285 PatentedFeb. 1, 196$ nection with various ring games or merely as an exercise inshooting skill.

The ring projector or gun 10 is formed preferably from a length of wire,preferably spring steel, bent to provide a barrel forming section 15 anda handle forming section 16. The handle forming section 16 is shaped toprovide cooperating grip-forming members 17 and 18 which are connectedby a loop portion 19. The rearward grip member 17 extends at rightangles to the barrel portion 15, while the forward grip member 18extends at a forward and upward inclination from the loop section 19 tothe barrel forming section 15 and has its terminal end portion 20 bentlaterally of the plane of the barrel and handle sections 15 and 15, andpositioned over the barrel section 15. The end portion 20 is providedwith a cap 21 and serves as a trigger member which is under the controlof the operator of the gun when he grips the bandle section 16 withrearward member 17 in the palm of his hand and his four fingers closedabout the inclined forward member 18.

The forward or finger engaging handle member 18 and the end portion 20are arranged so that the latter which engages over the barrel section 15is normally held, by the resiliency in the material in the connectingloop 19, in engagement with the barrel section 15 and, due to the lengthand angle of inclination of the handle member 18, the trigger formingend 20 is adapted to be lifted from engagement with the barrel section15 and carried in an upward are when the handle sections 17 and 18 aresqueezed between the palm and the fingers of the user as indicated indotted line in FIGURE 2.

A carrier or support 22 for the ring projectile 11 is mounted on acarriage-forming tubular member 23 which is of relatively rigidmaterial. The carriage forming member 23 is connected at one end to arubber-like or elastic tubular member 24 which is telescoped over theforward or free end of the barrel section 15 of the gun. The rearsection 25 of the tubular member 24 is secured to the carriage member 23which is freely slidable on the barrel section 15 of the gun and whichforms the carrying element for the ring support member 22. The forwardend 26 of the tubular member 24 is trapped between a pair of clampforming cap members 27 and 28 which are secured on the free end of thebarrel section 15. The intermediate portion 30 of the elastic member 24is slidably telescoped on the barrel section 15 and is stretchable toprovide a propelling force for projecting the ring 11 when stretched andreleased.

The ring support 22 has a disc-like body 31 which is apertured at 32 soas to fit over the tubular carriage 23 and be frictionally retainedthereon, at the end of the elastic member 2 1. The ring support body 31terminates at a peripheral flange formation 33 which forms a shallowseat 34 for supporting loosely thereon the ring 11. The carriage formingtubular section 23 is provdied with a cross slot 35 for cooperation withthe trigger forming terminal portion 20 of the gun as illustrated inFIGURES 3 to 5.

In using the gun 10, it is cocked for shooting by gripping the carriage23 with the fingers and forcing it in the direction of the handle untilthe slot 35 moves into the position shown in FIGURE 4 with the trigger28 being raised sufficiently to permit this movement by squeezing thehandle members 17 and 18. This stretches the tubular section 31] asshown. The ring 11 is then placed in the shallow recess 34 or it may beplaced therein prior to the cocking of the gun. This places the gun incocked or shooting condition. All that is required to operate the gun isto point the end of the barrel portion 15 in the direction of the targetand squeeze the handle sections 17 and 18 with suflicient force to movethe forward han- 3 dle section 18 toward the back section 17 and therebylift the trigger forming end portion 20 which releases the carriage 23and allows the stretched portion 30 of the tube 24 to spring back to itsnormal non-extended position, thereby projecting the ring 11 in thedirection of the target.

While particular materials and specific details of construction havebeen referred to in describing the illustrated form of the apparatus, itwill be understood that other materials and different structural detailsmay be resorted to within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A ring projector formed of spring wire having a straight barrelforming section and a handle forming section with the handle sectionincluding a spring tensioned, grip portion extending at the rear end ofthe barrel section at an inclination to the axis of said barrel sectionand with a trigger forming terminal end extending over the barrelsection and normally held in resilient engagement therewith, a carriageforming tube surrounding the barrel section, a stretchable tubularmember having substantial resiliency also surrounding the barrel sectionand connecting one end of the carriage to the free end of the barrelsection, a supporting disc having a groove for a ring projectile securedon said carriage with its axis coincident with the axis of the barrelsection and extending in a plane transverse of the axis of the barrelsection, said carriage having a slot opening upwardly of said barrelsection which is normally spaced from said trigger forming end on thehandle grip portion a substantial distance in the direction of the freeend of said barrel section when said stretchable tubular member iscontracted and which receives said trigger forming end when saidstretchable tubular member is extended whereby the carriage may be movedon the barrel section to a cocked position where it is releasablyengaged with said trigger forming end of said grip portion.

2. A ring projector formed of spring wire having a barrel section and ahandle section with the handle section including a spring tensioned,grip portion extending at an inclination to the axis of the barrelsection at the rear end thereof and with a trigger forming terminal endextending over the barrel section in a direction laterally of the axisof said barrel section and normally held in resilient engagementtherewith, a tube forming a carriage surrounding the barrel section, astretchable tubular member surrounding the barrel section and connectingthe carriage with the free end of the barrel section which stretchabletubular member has substantial resiliency, a supporting member for aring projectile connected to said carriage and having a ring seat withits axis coincident with the axis of said barrel section, said carriagehaving means for releasable engagement with the trigger forming endsection on the grip portion of the handle whereby the carriage may beretracted on the barrel section to a cocked position and thereafterreleased by pressing the trigger forming portion of the handle so as tosnap the ring supporting member forward and project the ring.

3. A gun for a ring projectile, said gun being formed of bent springwire having a straight barrel forming portion and a handle formingportion with the handle portion including a spring tensioned gripportion extending at an angle to the rear end of the barrel portion andhaving a trigger forming terminal end extending over the barrel portionand normally held in resilient engagement therewith, a tubular carriagesurrounding the barrel portion, a tubular stretchable member alsosurrounding the barrel portion and connecting one end of the carriagewith the free end of the barrel portion, a support member having aprojectile seat mounted on and secured to the free end portion of thetubular carriage with the axis thereof coincident with the axis of thebarrel portion and extending in a plane transverse of the axis of thebarrel portion and means on said free end portion of said tubularcarriage for co-operation with the trigger forming end on the gripportion of the handle whereby the tubular stretchable member may bestretched on the barrel portion to a cocked position where it isreleasably held by the trigger forming end of the handle.

4. A ring projecting gun formed of spring wire bent to provide a barrelforming section and a handle forming section with the handle sectionincludiing a spring tensioned grip portion extending at an angle to thebarrel section and a trigger forming portion extending in a directionlaterally of the axis of the barrel section and over the barrel sectionand normally held in engagement with said barrel section, a shorttubular carriage forming member surrounding the barrel section and astretchable tubular member having substantial resiliency alsosurrounding the barrel section which stretchable tubular member isconnected at one end to the carriage forming member and at the other endto the free end of the barrel section, a ring supporting member mountedon said short tubular member which extends in a plane transverse of theaxis of said barrel section and having its axis coincident with the axisof said barrel section which ring supporting member has means forco-operaton with the trigger forming portion on the handle whereby saidcarriage forming member may be moved along the barrel section to acocked position where it has a releasable connection with the triggerforming portion on the handle and the stretchable tubular member isextended so as to form a projecting force when said carriage formingmember is released by movement of the trigger forming handle section.

5. A ring projecting gun formed of resilient rod material and providinga straight barrel forming section and a handle forming section with thehandle section including a spring tensioned grip member at the rear endof the barrel section and extending laterally of the axis of said barrelsection, a trigger forming portion on the grip member which extendslaterally of the axis of said barrel section and is normally held inresilient engagement with said barrel section, a carriage forming tubesurrounding the barrel section, a stretchable tubular member havingsubstantial resiliency also surrounding the barrel section andconnecting the carriage forming tube with the free end of the barrelsection, a projectile supporting member secured on said carriage formingtube and extending in a plane transverse of the axis of said barrelsection, said projectile supporting member having a forwardly openingrecess for receiving a ring projectile with its axis coinciding with theaxis of the barrel section, and means on said carriage forming tube forco-operation with the trigger forming portion on the grip member of thehandle whereby the carriage forming tube may be retracted on the barrelsection to a cocked position where it has a releasable connection withthe trigger forming portion of the handle.

6. A device for projecting a ring-like game piece toward a target, saiddevice comprising a rod-like barrel forming member, a relatively shorttubular carriage forming member surrounding said barrel forming member,a section of resilient, stretchable, tubular material also surroundingsaid barrel forming member and connecting the carriage forming memberwith a free end of the barrel forming member, a support for the gamepiece secured on the carriage forming member with its axis coincidingwith the axis of said barrel forming member, a grip forming member atthe other end of said barrel forming member, a movable trigger memberspaced forwardly of said grip forming member, means for resilientlyurging said trigger member into engagement with said barrel formingmember and said carriage forming member having a notch in which saidtrigger member engages when said carriage forming member is moved apredetermined distance in the direction of the handle end of said barrelforming member so as to hold said carriage forming mem- 5 6 ber in acocked position for projecting the game piece 1,565,438 12/1925 Greife124-16 X when said carriage forming member is released by lifting1,768,117 6/ 1930 Christoph 124-17 said trigger member out of saidnotch. 2,286,700 6/1942 Vincent 12417 R f C db h E 2,603,204 7/1952Hartman 124-17 51212181155121??? 5 183,317 1887 France. 12/1909 Encson273-101 X 74 729 4/1933 France 8/1914 Burnam 124-27 593,618 10/1947Great Britain. 5/1920 Lowrnan 273100 53 459 5 195 Italy 11/1922 Boggess124-16 X 10 6/1925 Knight 273101 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

6. A DEVICE FOR PROJECTING A RING-LIKE GAME PIECE TOWARD A TARGET, SAIDDEVICE COMPRISING A ROD-LIKE BARREL FORMING MEMBER, A RELATIVELY SHORTTUBULAR CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID BARREL FORMING MEMBER,A SECTION OF RESILIENT, STRETCHABLE, TUBULAR MATERIAL ALSO SURROUNDINGSAID BARREL FORMING MEMBER AND CONNECTING THE CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBERWITH A FREE END OF THE BARREL FORMING MEMBER, A SUPPORT FOR THE GAMEPIECE SECURED ON THE CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBER WITH ITS AXIS COINCIDINGWITH THE AXIS OF SAID BARREL FORMING MEMBER, A GRIP FORMING MEMBER ATTHE OTHER END OF SAID BARREL FORMING MEMBER, A MOVABLE TRIGGER MEMBERSPACED FORWARDLY OF SAID GRIP FORMING MEMBER, MEANS FOR RESILIENTLYURGING SAID TRIGGER MEMBER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BARREL FORMINGMEMBER AND SAID CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBER HAVING A NOTCH IN WHICH SAIDTRIGGER MEMBER ENGAGES WHEN SAID CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBER IS MOVED APREDETERMINED DISTANCE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE HANDLE END OF SAID BARRELFORMING MEMBER SO AS TO HOLD SAID CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBER IN A COCKEDPOSITION FOR PROJECTING THE GAME PIECE WHEN SAID CARRIAGE FORMING MEMBERIS RELEASED BY LIFTING SAID TRIGGER MEMBER OUT OF SAID NOTCH.